Back To Camp
by judoka2.0
Summary: It's been a year since Harry Seawood has been at Camp Half-Blood. He's been planning his summer all year long, but suddenly, he finds his plans destroyed by Atlas. Harry and his friends must find a way (a journey that will prove much longer than they thought) to get to their camp before Atlas and his army destroys it. (Rated T just to be safe)
1. Chapter 1

**This is the second book to a trilogy. For those of you who are new, I highly recommend reading the first book, "A New Threat." You can find it on my profile. By the way, this is Harry's** **perspective, throughout the whole book.**

There was fire everywhere. Burning, destroying, ravaging. I didn't know what I was looking at; the world was so blackened with soot and ashes.

"Ssseawooodd," hissed a voice. I squinted through the flames, trying to make out the landscape. "Ssson of Poseidon." It echoed inside my head, over and over again.

"Who are you?" I shut my eyes.

"You know who I am. " The voice grew deeper. "But you know little of my power." The flames moved aside to reveal the landscape. It was a valley filled with burning trees and buildings. I gasped.

"Camp Half-Blood," I whispered.

"Stand in my way, and this is what happens to your friends," continued the voice. An image of Damien struggling and screaming in pain flashed before me. And then, there was Ben, and Ivy and Gemma, whom I'd become good friends with. And finally, Zoe. For some reason, that struck closer to home than the others. Like a punch to the stomach. She was balling her eyes out, screaming in pain, crying for help. My throat tightened like a knot.

I felt myself cry out in frustration. "Who are you?"

"Don't you remember me?" There was a cold laughter. It sounded like nails on a blackboard. "We fought last summer, during the solstice. I trapped you under the sky." Again, I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach.

"Atlas," I grunted. "What do you want?"

"Stand down and I won't hurt you or any of your friends. Fight, and a lot worse awaits you than a burning camp." And then, he was standing before me, on top of Half-Blood Hill. He smiled coldly. There was a small rip in his perfect business suit. On his right side, just below his rib cage. It was where I'd stabbed him last summer.

"Do you really expect me to consider joining your ranks?" I asked, laughing humorlessly.

"Not at all," he said slowly.

"I know what you are saying are lies, I know you can't keep any promises," I continued.

"Clever boy," chuckled Atlas.

"Get out of my dream, you can forget about it," I said, waving my hand.

"Very well… You know, you may not think this, but you are by far the most clever boy I've met so far… Others haven't been as wise."

"What are you talking about?" I frowned.

Atlas chuckled, obviously knowing something I didn't. "You'll understand soon enough…" His image faded. The camp continued to burn behind him, the flames eating everything in their paths.

My eyes snapped open. I breathed in sharply and looked around my room. It was empty. I sat up in my bed, the image of Atlas still burning at the back of my mind.

I stood up and took my clothes from yesterday. I checked the time. I had twenty minutes to get to school. I didn't matter if I was late, it was the last day anyways, lots of people would be late.

I took my bag, which was completely empty besides a water bottle. I hesitated, glancing at my closet. I already had a Celestial bronze dagger inside my bag too, did I really need a sword also?

Something told me I wasn't going to see my room in a long time. I took my sword, just in case my instincts weren't correct.

My mom, Bethany Seawood, was sitting at the dining room table. She was watching the news, eating a piece of toast. She looked up at me as I came in. "Hey, Harry."

"Hey," I said mechanically. I grabbed a piece of toast and glanced at the TV.

"... _a lot of traffic near Long Island Sound. Apparently, people are protesting because strawberry producers are putting chemicals in their fruits to make them smell better…"_

"Pfff, what a bunch of - "

"Shhh," said my mom, leaning closer to the TV. "Look." She pointed at the screen. I looked more closely. The news broadcast was showing a live feed of a Long Island Sound road. Hundreds and hundreds of people were standing around, facing a tall hill with a single pine tree on top. A man stood next to it, looking concerned. He looked dangerously familiar, as was the hill, the tree, the road…

"Wait," I said with a start. "That's Half-Blood Hill! And Mr. D..." I leaned forward too. "What are protesters doing there?"

"I don't know," said my mom, confused. "Why would they be protesting about pesticides?" I shook my head. The protesters were shouting angrily now. A giant dog stepped forward out of the crowd and growled at Mr. D.

"What is it doing?" I gripped the side of the table, waiting for something to happen. I could feel the tense atmosphere coming through the TV. The dog looked ready to pounce on the god.

"This doesn't look good," muttered my mom. And then, the dog turned away towards the crowd of protesters. It howled, a chill went down my spine. The cheering from the crowd didn't sound good at all.

I blinked and looked closer at the crowd. "Those aren't protesters," I said slowly. My heart skipped a beat and I felt it sink. I'd spotted a man wearing a business suit on the edge of the crowd. He turned his head, and looked into the camera, his cold blue eyes piercing through the TV. I knew he was looking me. A second chill went down my spine as he smiled, not a single ounce of warmth behind it. I felt my knees growing weak under me.

Atlas.

And that wasn't a crowd of protesters. It was hundreds and hundreds of monsters. The live footage switched back to the reporter. She was answering some dumb questions which had nothing to do with what was actually going on.

"Harry? Are you alright?" asked my mom, worried. I breathed in sharply.

"I'm fine." I left my half-eaten piece of toast on the dinner table and said goodbye to her. I left my building and walked to the subway station, waiting impatiently for the train to come.

I slipped my dagger into my back pocket. In case a monster tried to attack me. The train creaked to a stop, the badly-oiled wheels making a horrible sound that pierced through my eardrums.

I couldn't get my mind off of Atlas. How could I? He was going to destroy Camp Half-Blood, the only safe place on earth for demigods. And all the demigods with it. Just the thought of it made me dizzy.

I sat down on the bench. A very muscular man came in and sat down on the other side of the car. I watched the station disappear, leaning back in my seat and sighed.

One year had passed since I'd met Zoe and Damien. A few days ago, it had been the one year anniversary of us going to Mount Tam to rescue Ben, Ivy, and Gemma. The summer solstice had passed by with no problem this year.

Last night, I couldn't fall asleep. I was supposed to be going to Camp Half-Blood after school. And now, there were monsters there. They probably wouldn't let anyone in. Or out.

Maybe if Damien and I could find Zoe, we could come up with a way to sneak past them. Or maybe they would all be gone by the time we arrived. I highly doubted that would be the case.

I hoped Damien already found out about this and was making up some ingenious way to sneak past the monsters. The subway came to a stop. I looked up through the window. We weren't in a station, but in the middle of the tunnel. I looked around. The car was completely empty besides the muscular man, who was wearing a long trench coat and a hat.

I tapped my thigh nervously. I hated being trapped in confined spaces. Especially if it was underground. I breathed in deeply.

I saw the man stand up out of the corner of my eye. I looked down at my feet. I could hear him coming closer, his heavy footsteps growing louder. I knew this wasn't good. I held my breath, the steps still coming closer, slowly.

Finally, I forced myself to look at him. He was a few feet away. He'd stopped, looking at me, his face hidden by the hat. My heart was thumping louder in my chest, my hand slowly moving towards my pocket.

The man pulled off his hat, revealing a single large eye in the middle of his forehead. He pulled off his trench coat. His muscles were so massive that the skin had stretched too much. I waited.

Everything happened so fast. The Cyclops lunged forward, grabbing at me. I rolled back and stood up on the bench, my head nearly touching the ceiling.

I pulled out my dagger, knowing it wouldn't be enough. "Did Atlas send you?"

The Cyclops looked up at me. "Who do you think it would be?"

 _Great,_ I thought, _he knows where I live now._ I jumped up and as the Cyclops dove forward, grabbed the bar over my head. I swung onto the aisle and spun around, making a wide arch with my dagger. It slashed through his skin, but it wasn't enough.

The Cyclops cried out in pain and turned around, breathing heavily.

"You breath like an ox," I taunted. His chest heaved. "I mean, I would guess all that body building would build up your stamina or something." I pointed my dagger at his bulging biceps. "But at the same time, I'm no expert, so how could I know?"

"Enough!' He lunged forward once more. I jumped up and grabbed the bar over my head. I landed behind him and kicked his backside. He fell face-first on the floor.

"I'm guessing Atlas wants you to kill me, or something along those lines?" I let my senses wander.

"How did you know?" he said sarcastically. "He wouldn't let you foil his plans, would he?"

"Eh." I shrugged. "You're right."

"Now," said the Cyclops, standing and facing me. He rubbed his hands together. "To finish the job." I raised my hands. Dirty sewage water burst through the windows and knocked him down. I let the smelly water fill up the whole train car until there was no more oxygen left.

The Cyclops was forced to go under. The water was blurry and even _I_ didn't want to breathe it in.

 _Now,_ I thought sarcastically, _to finish the job._ I thrust my dagger forward, piercing through his abdomen. Dust diffused through the water. I let it drained out until I couldn't let any more water outside.

I breathed a sigh of relief, glaring at a pile of dust floating on the surface of the water.

"How am I supposed to get to school now?"


	2. Chapter 2

I arrived in front of the school an hour late. I could smell the excrement and garbage wafting off my clothes and wished I had an extra change. I couldn't go back home; my mom would kill me. And I couldn't go to school either, I'd be humiliated even though it was the last day of school.

I walked around the Chelsea Neighborhood and eventually found the Chelsea Market. I went to the bathroom and took off my shirt, glancing around me. Miraculously, the coast was completely clear. I washed my shirt as best as I could, using the hand soap to wash away the smell. Someone came in and I quickly hid inside one of the stalls. I wrung the shirt over the toilet, thinking about what the man was thinking outside the stall. Probably that I had a very big bladder or severe diarrhea.

I slipped the shirt back on and smelled the damp sleeve. A mix of hand soap and garbage juice. I gagged. It'll have to do for the day, I just hoped no one would get too close to me.

I left the bathroom, avoiding the man's eyes, and went back to school. The security guard wasn't very happy to see me walk in so late.

"Why did you even come to school?" she sighed, writing my name down. "Attendance doesn't even count anymore, you graduated." It was true, I wasn't technically a middle schooler anymore, more of a high school freshman, the most awkward year of all of school.

"I… I wanted to see my friends," I said, even though my only friend was Damien. It was a wonder neither of us had been expelled throughout the school year. I walked up to the fourth floor and entered the science room, where there was a massive paper ball fight going on between two groups of boys. All the girls sat in a corner on the floor, giggling as usual.

Someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me behind a wall of tables and chairs. I noticed the science teacher sitting in another corner, reading a thick novel on atoms and quantum physics.

"Why are you so late?" asked Damien. He wrinkled his nose. "And why do you smell like garbage and cheap soap?" For some strange reason his portuguese accent was more pronounced than last year.

"Long story," I said. Damien jumped up, let out a battle cry and threw a paper ball at a kid's face. He was too slow. Damien ducked back behind the wall.

Damien chuckled, looking me up and down. "What happened? You look like a homeless person! Did you fall in a garbage truck or something?" I rolled my eyes.

"Stop laughing, it's seriously very important!" Damien's smile faded when he saw I wasn't laughing. He frowned.

"Did something happen?"

"I had a dream…" I started. The bell rang and everyone jumped up. "Let's talk outside."

"I have to go to my English class now," said Damien.

"Doesn't matter," I answered, shaking my head. "Meet me at lunch, when school's out."

Two hours later, everyone rushed out of school, impatient to start summer vacation. Girls hugged, some were crying. Damien was waiting on the street. I walked up to him.

"So, what happened?" he asked impatiently.

I quickly explained to him my dream, the news and the train ride. "Oh, so that's why you were so late." I nodded.

"What do you think we should do?"

"I have no idea, if we want to go to camp, then we have to get some things from home, like clothes and stuff," Damien said.

"But what if we get there too late," I argued. "What if they manage to get past the dragon and the tree? They'll destroy it!"

Damien hesitated. "What about Zoe? Weren't we supposed to find her somewhere?"

"We said we would meet outside of camp, a few towns away," I said.

"You think she's already there?"

"I have no idea, but we should go anyways," I urged.

"What about your mom? And how are we going to get there?"

"My mom won't worry, she knows about what's going on at camp, she won't be surprised to not see me home tonight. I'll send her an Iris-message anyways,"I said, waving it off. "As for getting there, we could maybe sneak onto the train, or use the river."

"You want to use the river? You're forgetting I'm not a son of Poseidon." I sighed.

"You're right. Well, I guess our only choice is to take the train," I said.

"So, we should go to Penn Station?"  
"Yeah." We walked to the nearest subway station and got on the train. An hour later, we'd managed to sneak onto the Long Island bound train, where we kept on moving around so the conductor wouldn't catch us. I sat down in an empty seat and sighed after another hour.

"I'm so tired," I muttered. Damien sat across from me.

"You think Zoe will be there?" He sounded worried. I nodded, even though I had no idea if she'd arrived in New York or not. I felt my eyelids growing heavier. It had been such a long day…

 _BANG!_ I jumped. The whole wagon tilted to the side. Passengers screamed in fright and I was thrown out of my seat. I landed in the aisle, Damien on top of me. The train screeched to a stop.

"Sorry," he muttered, getting to his feet. There was another bang and this time, the wagon tilted to the other side.

"Search every single car!" bellowed a strong voice. I glanced at Damien in fright.

"Who is that?" he asked, worried.

"It's him," I whispered. "Let's leave, before he finds us!" I ran down the aisle, jumping over a fallen lady, who was slowly getting to her hands and knees, dazed. Damien followed close behind. He had pulled out his boomerang. My sword was in my hand.

"Let's leave the train!" I shouted over the screams and chaos. That's when the conductor finally found us.

"Boys!" he shouted, blocking our way. "Be careful with those sticks! Where are your parents?" I glanced back at Damien for help.

He stepped forward and snapped his fingers. He said in a smooth voice, "We are not kids, we are adults." He waved his hands in front of the conductor's nose. The conductor blinked and looked away from Damien's hands.

He looked into Damien's eyes, his glazed over. "Yes… I apologize for assuming your age…" He stepped aside. I glanced at Damien, frowning.

He grinned and continued down the aisle. "How did you do that?" I called after him. He glanced back, still running.

"I'll explain later!" We came to an emergency exit. Someone had already tried opening it but had failed.

"I wish Zoe was here," I muttered under my breath as I set to work on trying to open it. Suddenly, I was knocked backwards, the door flying. My back slammed against the opposite side of the train. Damien was lying in an aisle. Someone jump over him, screaming at the top of their lungs like a lunatic.

Standing in the doorway was a Hellhound. It barked loudly at me. I gripped my sword tightly. She glanced outside and barked again.

"He's coming," I shouted to Damien, doing my best to stop my voice from shaking. "She's alerting him." Damien got to one knee and with his left hand, threw the boomerang at the Hellhound. It disintegrated with another bark.

"Lord Atlas, he's over there!" shouted a monster.

"Let's get out of here!" I jumped out of the train, Damien close behind. I landed in a pile of gravel. Surrounding the train were hundreds and hundreds of monsters, trying to find a way inside.

Looking right at me, from one hundred yards away was Atlas. "Three times today," I muttered to myself. He began to run in my direction, a spear appearing in his hand.

"Damien, run!" Damien stopped and glanced at me.

"But he'll kill you!" he protested. I shook my head.

"This is _my_ fight," I said slowly. I raised my sword and yelled out a battle cry.

Author's Note:

I've decided to be a bit more organized this time around. New chapters will be posted every Saturday and Wednesdays.


	3. Chapter 3

Damien stood frozen, watching as I clashed with Atlas, sword and spear flying. I hadn't had time to practice in the past ten months and I was much slower than he was, and him being a Titan didn't help at all.

But I did have something that he didn't. I let my senses wander, a part of me still focusing on the battle in front of me.

I ducked as he swung his spear around, turning with it. For less than a tenth of a second, his back was turned to me. It was enough time for me to summon the water from a nearby pond and slam it into his back. He let out a roar as he was shoved forward and landed in a pile of mud and gravel. He turned back to me, not bothering to stand up.

"I have more important things than to take care of you, boy," he said. He glanced back at Damien, who was still standing behind me. "I don't want to bore you either. Maybe _she_ can help with it."

And he disappeared.

"What was he talking about?" asked Damien. As he was talking, I noticed that a crowd of monsters had gathered around us to enjoy the show. I had a feeling they wouldn't attack.

"I don't know," I panted. I lifted my sword, waiting. Everything became silent. Too silent for my taste. Damien drew out his boomerang.

I suddenly felt my nose getting tips of my fingers were turning red. I glanced at Damien, who obviously felt the sudden shift in temperature too.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he muttered. I nodded, my heart pounding. I gripped my sword so tightly my knuckles turned white. "What's taking so long?" His voice sounded so far away, even though he was a foot to my right. There came the sound of wind whistling.

"What's going on?" I asked. I took in a breath of the cold wind, the air hurt my throat and nostrils. I noticed something moving and looked up at the sky.

Tiny white snowflakes were falling from an overcast sky.

"Uh oh…" Damien sounded worried.

"What?" I asked, frowning.

"Not a good goddess to mess with," he muttered. His grip on his boomerang tightened. Not a good sign.

"Who is it?" I asked, slightly impatient.

Before Damien could answer, I got what I asked for. There was a flash coming from above and the ground rumbled as a teenage girl landed in front of me, surrounded by a thin cloud of snowflakes. She smiled coldly.

"It's Khione," she answered for Damien.

"Oh, you don't look so horrible, after all," I said, stepping forward, after having observed her for a few seconds. Damien dropped his boomerang by his side.

The teenager's face contorted in anger. "Excuse me?" She looked offended. "What do you mean, I don't look horrible?"  
"Well, you see," I explained, "a lot of people talk about you at camp. They said you sent a boy to an island from which he couldn't leave. I mean, that's not cool… I thought you'd look like a mean goddess or something but…"

"You want me to _prove_ myself?" she demanded. I opened my mouth but she answered before me. "Fine, I'll prove myself. I'll show you what I'm really capable of. Oh! I have a great idea! How about I send you to the same island as the _boy."_

"Oh, I didn't mean that you should prove yourself," I quickly said, quickly raising my hands.

"No, no…" She smiled coldly. "I think it's a _great_ idea, Seawood. How about we do this right now. At least you'll be off of Atlas' list for now."

And with that, she waved her hand.

"Harry, no…" Damien turned to me, panicked. Before I could answer, something slammed into my chest. I felt myself flying through the air, wind ripping away at my clothes. I looked down at Long Island, the wrecked train just a tiny dot.

I felt the air growing thinner. It was as if I was breathing through a clogged straw. Spots appeared before my eyes and I felt myself slipping away.

Just before everything turned black, I found myself thinking about how I would survive the fall.

Author's Note:

Sorry about the late update, I've been really busy lately. Next chapter will be longer


	4. Chapter 4

I gasped, my eyes shooting open. My stomach was up in my throat. I looked down at the bright blue sea, rapidly approaching. The wind ripped away at my clothes and hair. I squinted.

In the distance, I could make out an island with a beach of bright white sand and rich vegetation. I had a feeling that that was a safe place. I straightened out my body and half glided, half fell towards the island.

The sea was approaching quickly and I barely had time to brace myself for impact when it happened. It was one of those rare moments when I was glad I was the son of a god. The water felt like a cushion instead of concrete.

I let myself sink to the bottom and looked around. The island wasn't very far away. I willed the currents to carry me there and emerged from the water, confused.

Why was I not dry?

I lifted my arms up, letting my shirt hang loosely on my shoulders.

"That's weird," I muttered. I looked around me. I was on the white sand beach, ten yards away was a thick forest of tropical trees and vegetation. I noticed a small path going into the forest. Maybe there was someone living here.

I followed the path. The island was tropical and had a cozy and safe feeling to it. It was weird to feel safe, something I hadn't felt in a whole year, even when I was at Camp Half Blood.

I came to a wide clearing. There was a pretty garden to the side, flourishing with life. In the middle was a marble fountain, spewing crystal clear water. I suddenly noticed my unusually dry throat. I stepped to the fountain and began drinking until my stomach felt full.

All around the clearing were hundreds and hundreds of healthy flowers: lilacs, carnations, roses, and such. On my right was a large rock. There was a wide cave entrance, covered by a curtain of ivy. I pushed some aside and stepped inside. The cave was lit up by glowing crystals. In a corner was a large pot filled with steaming stew, an invisible person was steering the contents. There was a large bed with a comfortable mattress, a pillow filled with the softest feathers and a thick comforter made with the softest cotton. It looked so inviting. Next to the bed was a night stand on which was placed a bowl of warm milk and honey.

My mouth watered at the sight of food. And my eyelids felt heavier at the sight of a comfortable bed. I rushed forward and drained the milk. I glanced around, suddenly feeling guilty. But the milk seemed to make me even more sleepy. I looked outside and the sun was setting.

That was weird. It had been mid-afternoon when I arrived, ten minutes ago. Maybe it hadn't been ten minutes ago. How long had I been walking in the forest? I couldn't remember. I shrugged it off and looked back at the bed. Clothes had appeared on it.

It was a pair of white cotton pants and a white cotton shirt. I touched the soft fabric.

"Luxurious," I whispered. I took off my wet clothes and dropped them on the floor. They still smelled like hand soap and garbage. I put on the new clothes (strangely, they fit me perfectly) and slipped into the soft bed, the mattress hugged the outline of my body and the comforter was already warm. I knew that I wouldn't be too warm or too cold tonight, just the perfect temperature.

Just before I slipped away, I wondered why Khione and the campers had thought of this island as a trap. This was probably the closest thing to paradise I could find.

I woke up to birds chirping outside. I hadn't felt this rested in months. I lay there in bed, just listening, not thinking. I could hear the fountain running and the leaves rustling. I finally sat up and slipped out of bed.

The fresh morning air filled my lungs and I suddenly felt wide awake. A foot away from the entrance was a small table with a plate of food. There was bread and honey and milk and fruits. I sat down and began eating.

Then I stood up and walked around the island. I had no idea where I was, but I knew I had to leave soon. I had to help Damien.

I looked out to the sea, thinking about a raft. I turned to the beach and spotted some driftwood. I could maybe make a small raft. How hard could it be? Afterall, my father was the god of the sea.

I began dragging the wood towards the edge of the beach and looked for something that could serve as rope. There were vines hanging from trees that I could use. I set to work.

I'd left my bag in the train, I'd dropped my sword on the way here and my watch had disappeared. I had no idea how to read the shadows for the time. My bag contained nothing more than a bottle but it would've been usefult to transport food on the raft. As for my sword, there were no monsters here, but there could be some when I left.

The next morning, I found new clothes at the foot of my bed, along with the exact bag I'd been carrying three days ago. Wait, no four. No, it was three days ago, I was sure of it. I ate breakfast again and drank from the fountain. I had no idea who the invisible person on this island was, but they were a very good host.

I went down to the beach and continued to work on the raft. I was still collecting the wood I needed. I still had no idea if I could use the vines as rope. At around noon, a meal appeared behind me, complete with grilled chicken, a flatbread, and sliced tomatoes from the garden. There was a bottle of water besides the platter.

It was hard to tell the minutes from the hours. The days went by and as they flew, I became more and more impatient to leave. But there always seemed to be something wrong with the raft. The ropes kept snapping or the water kept coming through the cracks.

I thought about adding a makeshift sail, but I didn't have a large piece of cloth with me, so I discarded the idea. The next morning, along with a new underwear, was a large piece of cloth.

I looked around the cave, wondering for the hundredth time who it was that was hosting me so well. "Thank you, whoever you are," I said to the cave and picked up the sail.

I didn't know if it was just me, but the breakfast tasted better. I went down to the beach and worked on putting the sail together.

At noon, I turned around to find more than a meal. Standing before me was a tall young man with bright blond hair. He wore sandals that had small fluttering wings on them.

"Hermes," I whispered in amazement. I stood up.

The god smiled. I realized it was the first time I'd met an Olympian god. "Good afternoon, Lord Hermes," I stumbled.

"A pleasure to meet you, Harry Seawood," he said. He snapped his fingers and a table and chairs appeared between us. The meal, along with an extra platter had appeared there too. We sat down.

"How are, Harry?" he asked. He looked at me, slightly concerned. I wondered why, he wasn't my father. "You are wondering why I'm here?" I nodded.

He launched into his explanation, "Your father. He was beginning to get worried that you've been here so long."

Wow, Poseidon had been looking after me. I couldn't help but cut him off. "How long has it been?"

"In the real world, just a day or two, but here, it's been nearly two weeks," he said. "He wanted me to tell you about the history of this island." I leaned forward. "We find ourselves on Ogygia, once home to Calypso, a daughter of Atlas." I tensed. "It's not what you think, she is different from her father. A few years ago, she was taken away by one of Hephaestus' children. Since then, the island's been deserted, besides her invisible servants. You're the first person to come here since she's left. When she was here, the only way for her to leave was for her to fall in love with you."

"How am I supposed to do that if she's not here?" I asked, slightly desperate and confused at the same time.

Hermes looked into my eyes. "Maybe it has to go the other way around," he said in a low voice.

"I have to fall in love with her? How is that possible, I've never even met her," I said, throwing my hands up in the air.

"Maybe you don't have to fall in love with _her_ specifically, but…" He looked down at his hands. "I know you can figure it out." He looked at me, and there was a message that pass from him to me. Something I didn't exactly get.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up in the middle of the night. I was unable to sleep. Maybe it was the lack of dreams here. I was completely cut off from the outside world, besides Hermes' visit. He didn't even give me news of Damien or any of my friends.

What had happened to Damien anyways? I hoped he was safe, away from the monsters. Maybe Khione had sent him flying away too. But where? If I even found a way to leave this island, getting back to Damien would be the first place I would go.

My mind wandered back to my conversation with Hermes. I pulled away my covers and walked out of the cave and into the moonlit clearing. Everything was so silent and peaceful. Hermes had talked about the daughter of Atlas, the very person I was fighting. Maybe it was best I didn't meet her. I wondered what sort of fight we could've gotten into if she was sided with her father. She probably wouldn't be sided with him anyways, since she would have to fall in love with me. Speaking of falling in love: I had to do that. I groaned to myself.

Why was this so complicated?

I couldn't fall in love with Calypso since I didn't know her and she couldn't fall in love with me either. And someone had rescued her, meaning that they obviously loved each other. So I had to fall in love with someone else.

That was it. I had to fall in love with someone else.

But how was that possible? There was no one on this island to fall in love with. Ugh, thinking of it that way made me feel sick, as if love was something to be taken lightly. I sat down on the edge of the fountain, balancing myself.

But I nearly fell of it as the realization hit me in the chest like a punch. I couldn't help but gasp.

Maybe the falling in love was already done. I just hadn't realized it. And I knew exactly who it was.

It was Zoe.

I took a deep breath, gripping the edge of the fountain as if someone would push me in. I slid off the edge and fell to my knees. Sitting in front of me was my bag. I opened it to find it filled with food and some extra white cotton clothes. At the very bottom was an extra water bottle and a sword.

I pulled out the short sword and unsheathed it. The blade was as white as the cotton that made my clothes. What a strange material, as cold as metal but glowing as faintly as Celestial bronze.

"Thank you," I whispered. I sheathed it back up and attached around my waist. I picked up my bag, knowing it was my time to leave. I didn't belong here anymore. I needed to see Zoe and Damien.

I headed down to the beach, my bag on my shoulders. A raft was waiting for me on the shore. And there was also a pair of leather sandals. It was then that I realized I was barefoot.

I dropped my bag on the raft, which I pushed away from the island. I jumped on it and looked back at Ogygia, the island that had helped me realize something wonderful. For some reason, I felt uncomfortable being happy, as if the people who had left the island before me had all been sad.

The island quickly disappeared from view and I knew the raft was leading me towards Damien. I lied down on the raft and watched as the night sky became lighter until the sun appeared on the horizon.


	6. Chapter 6

I was asleep when the raft finally stopped. My eyes shot open when I realized I wasn't moving anymore. I sat up and looked around. Behind me was a tropical island.

It looked like it had once been inhabited by a resort, but had been ravaged by riots. Badly dressed men walked around the resort, drinking ale and talking loudly. There were a few women rushing around the resort, trying to escape the men's gazes.

I realized that the men were so badly dressed because they were pirates. "Oh, Damien," I muttered, "where did you end up?" I stood up and left the raft, heaving my bag on my shoulders. I looked around the ravaged resort for a good hiding spot. Something told me it was a bad idea to get seen by the pirates.

I hid behind a bar and peaked around the corner. There was a volleyball court and a pool to my left and a low building to my right. On the building's entrance were the words C.C.'s Spa & Resort Helping Center. There must've been computers in there, a good place for a son of Hephaestus to hide.

I crawled forward, crouching low. It wasn't low enough. One of the pirates caught sight of me.

"Hey, you!" he shouted in a rough voice. "Wha -what do you think you're doing?"

I stood up straight. "Uh…" What was I supposed to say? "I want to know where the… the spa is," I quickly answered.

"You look new here," he said, slightly suspicious.

"I think you drank too much wine," I said in a honeyed voice, putting on a saccharine smile. I stepped forward and grabbed his shoulder and gently pushed him away. "You should rest."

The pirate's eyes seemed to grow heavy for a second. And then he shook his head and looked around, suddenly fully alert.

"Hey! Why are you touching me?" he shouted, pushing me away. I raised my hands in the air as a sign of defeat. "Who are you?"

"I -" He grabbed my shoulders before I could answer and threw me to the floor. I landed with a heavy grunt. He placed his knee on my chest and put all his weight on it. I gasped.

"I never seen you around here," he said, leaning his face towards mine so that I could smell the spirits in his breath. I struggled to take in a breath. "Why are you here?"

"I -" I gasped. He cut me off, grabbing my throat.

"Are you a spy of Circe's?" he asked, squeezing his hands together. I struggled to take in some oxygen and tried to answer, but realized that it wouldn't be possible.

I shook my head, frowning.

He squinted at me, suspicious. "I think you should see the captain," he said. Finally, he lifted his knee off my chest and pulled his hands away from my throat. I gasped, taking in the lovely fresh air which I'd taken so much for granted before.

He grabbed my collar and pulled me to my feet. I was dizzy for a few seconds. He pushed me in front of him down a small path decorated by toilet paper, ripped leaves, loose parrot feathers and multi colored Silly String. This resort was a complete mess, like a bunch of teens had ravaged it.

The pirate led me to a house overlooking the beach and sea. Guarding the door were two pirates, playing an intense game of cards. One of them jumped up angrily and threw the whole deck off the table, accusing his opponent of cheating. He didn't look very sober.

"Bonnet!" shouted the pirate behind me. The drunk man looked up, slightly confused. "Oy! I haven't seen _you_ in a long time."

"I know, I know," he grunted, and then pushed me forward. "Found this lad at the bar, claims he's looking for the spa. Have you seen him before?"

The pirate named Bonnet squinted at me with his dark eyes. "Nah, never seen 'im 'fore." He shook his head. "Maybe the captain will know what to do with him."

"Exactly why I brought him here," said the pirate behind me. He pushed me towards Bonnet and walked away.

"C'mon, boy, let's get you inside," said Bonnet and he pushed me into the condo. The only nice thing about the condo was the air conditioning (I bet the pirates had been marveled by it too). Other than the AC, there was nothing nice about the apartment.

It was a single large room with floor to ceiling windows (which seemed to be covered in egg yolks and more Silly String), ripped and dirty curtains, wrecked chairs and table and a smashed TV. The walls were covered in Pirate of the Caribbean Posters and bright blue paint strokes that added up to nothing. There was a single queen bed pushed into a corner, the mattress had been ripped apart with a knife to show the metal springs inside.

On the terrace in front of the house sat a man in a simple wooden chair (the only chair that hadn't been broken, it appeared). I couldn't see his face since his back was to me, but he was smoking a thick cigar and looking out towards the ocean.

Bonnet knocked on the bay window and slid the door open.

"I told you this is my alone time, Bonnet," grunted the man. Bonnet pushed me forward.

"We found this boy by the bar. Claims he's looking for the spa," Bonnet explained. The man sat still.

"Jackson?"

Bonnet blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Is it Percy Jackson?" demanded the man. Bonnet turned to me.

"What's your name, lad?" he asked impatiently.

"Harry," I quickly said. Something told me it was best if I didn't tell them my full name. Slowly, the man turned around to face me.

He was in his mid-thirties, a tanned face and rough hands and a very thick black beard. He squinted up at me, observing my face.

"You look a lot like Perseus Jackson," he said suspiciously. It was then that I realized Percy Jackson was my half-brother. I'd never really thought of him that way, as a half-brother.

"I -" I wasn't sure if I should tell them I was closely related to him. "I guess it's just a coincidence that we looked alike." If he also had a thin body, blonde hair and sea green eyes, then my lie would be perfect.

"You don't really look alike." The man stood up, towering about a head over me. "He was smaller and younger. And his hair was dark."

"Oh…" I felt my heart sink. "Why do you think I'm Percy Jackson?"

"Jackson set us free. But unfortunately, he stole our ship, _Queen Anne's Revenge,_ " explained the man, his face turning red. He obviously didn't like to think about that too much.

"What did he set you free from?" I asked.

The man grew dark. "The witch, Circe. Jackson's friend turned us back into humans, after living for years in our own filth."

"What were you?" I asked.

The glance that the man shot me reminded me that he didn't like thinking about the past. "Worse than pigs," he muttered.

"Guinea pigs," spat Bonnet. " _Disgusting_. Forced to live in a small cage with fifty other guinea pigs for years."

"Don't." The man held up his hand, a painful look on his face. "Anyways, Jackson will never be coming back. I doubted you were him anyways. Much like the other boy."

"The other boy?" My stomach twisted as I remembered who I was here for. "Where is he?" _Oh, please, Damien, I hope you haven't become a pirate too,_ I thought to myself.

"Ah, we let him go. He probably joined Circe." The man waved the problem away.

" And she probably turned him into a guinea pig too," Bonney snickered.


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you know the other boy?" asked the man.

I swallowed, wondering if they deserved to know. "Who are you?" I demanded.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" he asked, leaning in closer. I clenched my jaw shut. "The infamous pirate who ruled the Caribbean's for years. I've captured tens of ships, stolen cocoa and fabrics by the tons. The English fear me more than…" He paused, I could smell the alcohol in his breath.

"Blackbeard," I realized. The pirate leaned back, stroking his thick dark beard. He nodded approvingly. "You've been trapped on this islands for… three hundred years."

Bonnet and Blackbeard froze. "How many years did you say?" asked Bonnet, his face turning red. He glanced at his captain.

"Three hundred," I said again. "Exactly three hundred years, actually."

"Then the year is 2018?" asked Blackbeard while Bonnet counted on his fingers. I nodded. Blackbeard cursed and kicked his chair across the beach. There went the last chair.

"The witch, Circe!" Blackbeard looked like he'd punch someone. I stepped back so I wouldn't be a target. "Curse her and all her maids!"

"If you'll excuse me," I began in a small voice. I took another step back. "I'm must leave now." Both pirates turned to me.

"Now where do you think you're going, lad?" demanded Bonnet, lunging forward. I jumped back as he grabbed for my arm.

"I must leave," I said quickly.

"And how are you going to leave the island?" asked Blackbeard, looking interested.

"Um…"

"Bonnet, grab the boy!" roared Blackbeard. I jumped back once more as Bonnet made a desperate attempt to catch me. I ran down to the beach, Bonnet and Blackbeard chasing d\close behind me.

I glanced back at them. My smaller legs weren't strong enough to outrun them.

"Catch the boy!" roared Blackbeard at his lounging men. They jumped up, slightly dazed by their sudden movements.

A crowd of drunk pirates gathered behind me, yelling drunken phrases. Around ten of them appeared in front of me, holding up rusty swords.

I stopped, realizing I was surrounded. They gathered around me, slowly moving in. Blackbeard stepped forward, a triumphant look on his face. He smiled, pulling an old gun from his belt.

"On your knees. Now," he grunted, pointing his weapon at me and cocking it. I could feel the ocean begging for me.

"No." I thrust my hands forward and it was as if the whole ocean lunged forward, crashing into the pirates with all its uncontrollable force.

I let the water drain back into the ocean and ran towards the resort, leaving the dazed pirates behind. I had to find Damien before he could be turned into a guinea pig.

I made my way down a path. This one wasn't ruined like the rest of the resort. The leaves grew thick and healthy and birds chirped more happily. It was obvious the pirates didn't come here often. Or at all.

I came to a large marble mansion, surrounded by old palm trees. The front doors were open, as if the house had been waiting for me to arrive. I walked into the grand hall, with a long table down the middle.

At the very end of the table sat a woman with a simple dark dress and short dark hair that came to her shoulders. And her eyes. As piercing as a flying arrow and bright as the sky. She was beautiful.

"Harry," she said in a smooth voice, standing up. A golden goblet appeared in her hand, filled with a green liquid. She walked towards me.

"Circe," I blurted. "Where's Damien?" She smiled, her red lips reflecting the light from a nearby torch.

"Oh, worry makes your forehead wrinkle," she said, sounding a little disappointed. She shook her head. "Come here, I know something that will fix that."

A girl arrived, around twelve, carrying a large mirror which she set in front of me. I looked at myself.

"What do you see?" asked Circe, lowering the golden goblet. She waved at the image.

I shrugged. "Myself. Now, can I see Damien." I started to turn away, growing a little impatient, but Circe gently pushed me back towards the mirror.

"No, look closer," she urged.

I took the time to look closer at my image. For the first time, I noticed a small zit on my right cheek and it seemed to grow redder by the second. I blinked and it stopped changing colors. But there _was_ a wrinkle on my forehead. And that white strand of hair left from holding up the sky seemed to be whiter now. Bags under my eyes had formed, as if I hadn't slept in a week. My cheeks shallow and deathly pale.

"Wow." I leaned closer and brushed my face.

"Imagine how handsome you could be," she said. I was slightly offended by the comment, by when I saw my body morph in front of me, I understood why.

Suddenly, I was slightly taller, less skinny, wider shoulders, a tanner face and a sharper jawline. My sea-green eyes popped. My hair was lighter from the sun. My white shirt defined the muscles in my upper body. The white strand of hair was nearly gone, not a single zit plagued my face and there wasn't a wrinkle in sight. I brushed my cheek.

"How is that possible?" I whispered. I reached up to my hair and picked at the white hair strand. Some people had made fun of me for it at school, saying I was growing old. I'd cut it off, but it just grew back white. Only a few months ago had I finally accepted it as a spoil of war, something that I was proud of.

I stepped back, shaking my head. For some reason, seeing that white strand not be there was like losing a part of me. And maybe it wasn't just that. A part of me knew that it connected me to Zoe, it had a deeper meaning. We had both held up the sky, it was something we had endured together.

Circe was looking deeply disappointed.

"You don't like it?" she asked in a small voice. "Maybe you'll like this better." She snapped her fingers and my image morphed again. This time, I had a lot more muscle, the skin of my face looked like it had been pulled back by a bad plastic surgeon and my cheekbones looked puffed up. My tan was fake; I was almost orange.

"Can I see Damien?" I asked impatiently, turning away from the mirror. Circe looked me in the eye, annoyed. Her face turned red with anger.

"Oh, so you want to see your friend?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Fine, you can see him." She snapped her fingers and the twelve year old girl scurried in again, this time holding a large metal cage.

Something moved back and forth inside, looking panicked. I leaned closer, realizing it was a guinea pig

"What have you done to him?" I asked, my heart dropping.

"He asked for a makeover," she shrugged.

"No wonder the pirates are mad at you," I said angrily, grabbing the cage. Circe grew angry. She obviously didn't like hearing about her noisy neighbors.

"If you could refrain from mentioning them, I would appreciate it," she said, her voice becoming high-pitched.

"Turn him back," I demanded, thrusting Damien's cage forward. He squeaked loudly at the sight of the witch.

Circe looked at him for a few seconds, deep in thought. "You know, I usually turn all men that come into my home into guinea pigs," she started.

"I noticed," I muttered.

She ignored me. "You've managed to survive so far. You seem to care a lot about your friend. That touches me deeply." I was really beginning to grow impatient, but also slightly surprise by her change in attitude. "I'll do you a favor. But you have to do me a favor too."

Oh great, another request by some crazy greek myth character. "What is it?"

"You get rid of the pirates on this island, I turn your friend back into a human and you two can leave," she offered. I let my eyes drift down at Damien, who looked at me, waiting for an answer.

"May I have a private conversation with… with Damien," I asked, knowing I sounded stupid for asking to talk to a guinea pig alone. Circe nodded and left the hall.

I sat down on the floor and buried my head in my hands.

"How am I supposed to get a boat for them to leave?" I wondered to myself. Damien squeaked.

"Yeah, thanks for the help," I muttered, wishing I could understand him. He squeaked more loudly, looking at something behind me. I frowned and turned around.

There on the ground, something had appeared. It was a note. I reached over and took it. I opened it and read it.

 _Accept the offer. Meet me by the beach as soon as possible._

I glanced at Damien, but it was hard to tell his expression, so I decided to read it aloud for him. He squeaked, and I had the feeling he was approving the message.

"Yeah, you're right," I said. "I think I should approve." Whoever had sent me the note, I knew it was someone on my side.


	8. Chapter 8

Circe came back into the hall. The goblet of green liquid had disappeared. She smiled, but there was something fake about it.

"Have you made a decision?" she asked in a high pitched voice.

"I have." I stood up with Damien's cage in my hand. I slipped the note into my back pocket. "I accept your offer."

A smile slowly spread across her face. "Good, you have until tomorrow to get rid of the pirates, else I turn you into a guinea pig just like your friend there."

I felt my heart drop. "Wait, that wasn't part of the deal," I argued.

Circe shrugged. "I never said how much time you had to take."

"But you also never mentioned a time limit," I added.

The witch's face grew dark. "This is my island, son of Poseidon," she said. "Do as I say. I have complete control over you." I felt myself shrink back. I didn't know the extent of her powers, but I knew it was far more than I could fend off.

The twelve year old girl came back into the hall, carrying a large platter of food. Circe's mood suddenly became bright and happy.

"You must be very hungry," she said cheerfully. "Here's some food for you, and I'll have a bed made for you in a room." The girl placed the platter on the long table and scurried away.

I was hungry but not hungry enough to taste the roasted meat and cheese on there. I shook my head but she urged me on and reluctantly, I tasted a grape.

It was the sweetest grape I'd ever eaten. I took another one, just to get the flavor one last time. And another one. And another. I continued like this until I'd eaten the whole bunch.

I set down Damien and continued eating and he stared at me doing so, not squeaking at all. Finally, when my stomach was full, Circe led me through the door, down a hall and into a large room with a small window and a comfortable bed. I could feel my eyelids growing heavy. My mind was slow.

I let myself fall on the bed as Circe closed the door. I fell asleep.

I woke up with a start and looked around, not really remembering where I was. Oh, right, at Circe's. It was completely night outside. I suddenly realized Damien wasn't with me. In a rush of panic, I started looking in every corner of the room, like the way you pat your pockets when you can't find your keys, thinking you lost them. In this case, I really did lose them. Or more so, Damien.

I felt my heart drop, realizing I'd left him on the table as Circe led me away. I cursed and tried to open the door. It was locked.

I remembered the card inside my back pocket and realized I had a rendez-vous with someone I didn't know. This was a good time to leave; no one was looking. I hurried over to the window and opened it. Thankfully, it wasn't locked like the door was.

I slid outside and jumped down on the group. I used the piece of paper to stop the window from completely closing and made my way into the thick vegetation. No need for a map or compass, the sound of pirates was enough to guide me towards the beach.

I emerged from the trees to find a very brightly lit resort. Some country music was playing to my left while some rap was playing on my right. There came shouting and drunken laughter.

I hurried down towards the beach, crouching in dark areas and darting forward every now and then. I finally made it down to a dark part of the beach, a few hundred feet from the resort, far from the pirates.

I looked around, wondering what was supposed to happen. I cleared my throat, looking down at the waves crashing on the shore. I loved that sound.

"Um…" I stepped towards the ocean. "I'm here." A small swell appeared on the surface. It broke, revealing a tall strong figure marching towards me.

I already knew who it was before he even reached me.

"Poseidon," I whispered. He was standing in front of me now, carrying a glowing trident and wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts. Sunglasses hung from the collar of his shirt and his dark beard grew thick. I made out sea-green eyes in the darkness, looking down at me.

"Harry," he said. I looked into his eyes, seeing the thousands of years spent living behind them. So much knowledge and wisdom.

I swallowed, my voice stuck in my throat. I felt my knees growing weak.

This was how I was meeting him, after fourteen years of total silence, he was finally standing in front of me.

It was my father.

"I hear you need help," Poseidon finally said after a long silence. I nodded, still trying to find my voice.

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Harry, I know you're mad at me for not showing myself to you since you were born," he said, growing sad.

I looked down at my feet. And nodded. I was mad, but not as mad as I thought I would be. Afterall, he was here to help me because he was my father. I was in trouble and this was the least he could do after all that had happened.

"At least you've shown yourself to me," I said in a quiet voice. "Some demigods have never seen their godly parent." Poseidon nodded.

"Yes, and that's not always our fault," he said. I looked up and he looked like he regretted saying that. I hoped he did. He was a parent who had a kid that wished to know him.

"Harry, I wish I could know more about you," he finally said, turning his gaze away. He looked a little uncomfortable in front of me which was weird considering the fact that he was the superior one here. I should be the one uncomfortable.

"I wish you could've visited me a little more," I said sarcastically. I was growing angry now. How could he not be more ashamed of what he'd done to me? Even my mother had suffered from his absence. Raising a child alone is more difficult than one would think. And then I remembered he'd tried to help me already.

The keychain had been a gift of his. The trident engraved on it was a clear sign that I was his son. I don't think he would've allowed anyone else besides his children to touch the weapon. And then Hermes back on Ogygia. He had carried my father's message, it wasn't his. And now, he was offering to help me.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. I twisted the hem of my white shirt in my hand.

Poseidon looked back down at me. I could feel the power radiate off him. As well as the smell of salt. "Harry, I came here to help you. So let me guide you."

I waited. Nothing happened. Poseidon spoke again. "Listen well, my son." For some reason, I felt proud when I heard him say _my son._ "Maybe you should listen to what you represent."


	9. Chapter 9

Oh, this was just great. Another clue weird dropped by my father that I was supposed to figure out as soon as possible.

I watched Poseidon turn around and head back towards his home, the ocean. Something told me I would see him again not to far in the future.

I sat down on the beach and began thinking. Maybe I could figure this out now. It seemed simple enough.

Let's see: what did I represent? As a normal human being, not much. But I wasn't a human being, or at least a whole one. I was half of a god, a demigod. As a demigod, I represented my father, Poseidon, obviously. That had been evidence enough back at camp, where I was the only camper to sleep in Cabin Three.

So, Poseidon was saying I should listen to him? That didn't make any sense at all. I'd literally just listened to him and he had told me to listen to him. No, something wasn't quite right here.

I was missing something important. I pressed my hands to my temples, thinking hard until my head began to hurt. The sound of the waves grew louder and louder.

I looked up at the ocean and it was the same as before, not closer or farther. The ocean, that place I loved so much.

Wait! That was it!

I backtracked to my very first thought. What did I represent? As a human, not much. As a demigod, my father. But what about the god part of me? I didn't represent either of my parents. I represented something else.

I represented the sea.

I stood up slowly, my eyes fixed on the ocean. I was supposed to listen to the ocean, not Poseidon. Deep inside, the ocean had a mind of its own. My father was still able to control it, but the ocean's conscience was still there.

I walked down to the waves and let the cold salt water wash over my feet. It felt like a burst of adrenaline. Suddenly, I wanted to jump up and plunged into the depth of the water, controlling the currents around me to travel faster than a speeding boat.

I took a deep breath, keeping the adrenaline at bay. I suddenly realized how much I had missed the salt water. It was like being back home at last. For a whole year, I'd been living away from it and without me realizing, I had slowly been losing my energy, growing weaker.

I felt the ocean call to me and so I trudged into the water until I was waist deep and dove under. I'd never felt this alive in such a long time. The ocean's pull had never been this strong before, begging for me to come and swim.

I breathed in deeply and it felt so exhilarating. I blinked and looked around, my surroundings as clear as day.

A current swept me aside and I let it pull me farther and farther down until it grew as dark as the night outside.

I kicked the water, excited to see what the current was leading me to. It lead me deep into a trench. The trench grew more and more narrow until something large seemed to obstruct it.

Slowly, the object came into view. I realized it was a large sunken ship. On the hull, written in faded letters was the name USS Cyclops. It was an american navy ship.

I knew this was the boat the pirates had been looking for all along and Circe had been hoping for. And I was supposed to bring it to them.

I summoned the strongest currents and they lifted the ship out of the trench and up towards the surface. My feet touched down on the deck and I let myself be lifted up like an elevator.

The ship broke the surface of the ocean and water spilled over the sides like hundreds of small waterfalls.

I felt the ship move towards Circe's island and after only a few seconds, it landed on the beach.

I jumped down from the deck and hurried towards the pirates.

"Hey!" I shouted over the horrible rap music. It took a few more tries to get their full attention, but when they realized who was standing in front of them, the music was paused, giving place to an unbearable silence.

"Guess what?" I asked. Every single pirate drew out a rusty sword, grinning.

"I know what," said someone. Blackbeard emerged from the crowd, pulling out a gun.

"What?" I asked.

"You're here to surrender," he said. I wished I could've come up with some clever response, but instead, I said:  
"No, not exactly. I'm here to give you a ride away from this island," I said, raising my hands in the air. A confused murmur passed through the crowd. "Yes, you heard me correctly. There's a ship on the beach waiting for you. It might be covered in a thin layer of seaweed, and you might find some dead fish in the hull, but it should do the job. It can bring you back to the mainland."

Blackbeard frowned, obviously thinking this was a trap. He pointed the gun at me and nodded for Bonnet to step forward. "Go check the beach. If there's no ship there, give a shout and he gets it." He cocked the gun and the click echoed throughout the crowd.

Bonnet ran down towards the beach as quickly as his drunk legs could carry him. He stumbled over a small concrete wall and face-planted in the sand. He quickly got up and disappeared from view. Somewhere far off a cricket chirped.

The silence went on for so long it began to feel as if a thick blanket had been draped over my ears. A moth landed on Blackbeard's beard and he quickly swatted it away, grunting.

I heard running footsteps coming from the beach. Bonnet appeared, careful not to trip over the concrete wall.

He stopped in front of the captain and rested his hands on his knees, panting heavily.

"So?" demanded Blackbeard impatiently. I could see the hand holding his gun was starting to shake. The pirates began to fidget nervously. No shout had been given.

"She's beautiful, captain. At least from what I could see," he managed to say. The crew looked around nervously.

"What's her name?" asked Blackbeard, dropping his arm a little.

"I couldn't see the name. It was too faded and dark," Bonnet answered, placing a hand on his ribs and wincing.

"It's the USS Cyclops," I said. All the pirates turned to me. "Better embark before she leaves." I could already feel the ocean beginning to pull her away from the shore.

All the pirates looked to Blackbeard, waiting for his orders. "Why are you looking at me like that, you fools? Board the ship, for goodness sake!" They gave an earth shaking cry of joy and rushed towards the beach, Bonnet included.

Blackbeard held back. He place his gun back in its worn holster. "I don't know how you did it, lad, but you deserve to be part of my crew when you're older." I couldn't help but smile. Maybe he was nicer than I thought.

Blackbeard started to turn away but I called, "Wait!" He turned back towards me, raising an eyebrow.

I bit my lower lip, thoughts flying through my head. There were so many things that I wanted to warn him about when he got back to the mainland. The only thing I could say, which made him look very confused, was:

"Avoid eating yellow snow."


End file.
